将近 (jiāng jìn) — almost, nearly, close to

Definition

将近 means 'almost / nearly' and modifies numbers, quantities, or time spans (将近两千人, 将近完成) — closer to 几乎 than to 快要, which only marks an imminent action.

adverb

almostnearlyclose to

Examples

将近。
Zhè ge gōng chéng jiāng jìn wán chéng le.
This project is almost complete.
将近。
Guān zhòng jiāng jìn yǒu liǎng qiān rén.
The audience numbered nearly two thousand people.
将近。
Bǐ sài jiāng jìn jié shù le.
The competition is nearly over.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

将jiāngabout

近jìnnear

将近 combines 将 and 近 to suggest close to a number or amount.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 將; 将 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat

寸寸cùnhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán將jiāng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 將 combines 爿, which also supplies a sound and may show a small table, with ⺼ (meat) and 寸 (hand) to picture offering meat as tribute. The simplified 将 is a later shorthand.

Open 将 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

斤jīn近jìn

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

Open 近 →

Appears in